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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGotta Minute? non la0617Y y http:// www.issues.org/norma061799.html Gotta Minit #1 June 17, 1999 Now that the Utilities Dept. is moving to their (our) new building, thus vacating many square feet in City Hall, why is there any need for a new city hall for many millions of our dollars for their vanity? It was Hickson who championed that cause. And don't forget...TWO CIP committees have ranked that project at the bottom of their lists, and the city immediately jumped on it making their almost #1 project despite repeated protests. is this going to be another case of what Noe et al want, this is what Noe et al will get? And do any of you like the new utility bills that are lumped together leaving much white space on the page, and making them very difficult to read? This is progress? And how many of you are aware that if, like me, you have access to e-mail and /or fax, you don't use your GTE long distance as much as you used to and GTE is now going to make us pay for our lack of use? AT &T announced this last month. I called GTE and was assured they had no such plan. So, I switched fro AT &T to GTE for LD. Three weeks later, my bill arrives from GTE...not only are they starting on June 28 to add the $3.00 penalty, their maintenance contract is going up from $2.95 to $3.50 a month. A supervisor assured me I was NOT lied to. No way could they have made the decision, printed the bills and gotten them out in 3 weeks. I no longer have a credit card for that very reason. I seldom used it, and always paid in full at the end of the month...so they began a penalty. Watch your banks too. MONEY TALKS And no where better than with the city and builders /developers. Last weekend Wellborn had their annual picnic. (wouldn't CS like to annex that nice little community ?) John Duncam was quoted in the paper as saying "Community is what we're all looking for. This is a good way to have a relationship with your neighbor." Interesting comment on his part. He has built a big home on Wellborn Rd. He is partner in the Steeplechase Addition currently being built. He and his cohorts and the city turned stone -deaf ears to the protests coming from the established residents of the Court Streets who waged a mighty battle. Naturally, they lost, just as those of us protesting the unnecessary addition of more multiple housing in the Southside area are going to lose. Again, I quote Councilman Mike Beal (Bryan) on the subject of Bryan annexation: "The council should weigh the public's views before making any norma06175, http:// www.issues.org/norma061799.html decision. The annexation will help control, protect and enhance the city's development, though not necessarily in that order. AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS AND THEIR CONCERNS." Interesting! He is the realtor who sold the Steeplechase property to Bryan Triad (including Duncam and Larry Bossier), and he is also the one handling the property at Holleman and Welsh to Blake Cathey. And did you read the brilliant remark made by one of the CSPD officers in today's Eagle? The story was on increased car thefts in the area...we are up but Bryan is down. The sergeant said, " Our problem in College Station is nothing compared to Houston >" I believe Houston has millions and we have thousands in population. At least the Bryan sergeant was quoted: Increased public education efforts and police enforcement were the main reasons for the drop in car thefts in Bryan." Another interesting story was the one on the generosity of the Madeleys when they donated the 5 acres behind their home for city parkland. What the story didn't tell was that the land has no street access, so it is going to cost the city around $55,000 to build one. The stipulation was that if the city didn't do that, the donation would revert to the A &M ME Church. That would have been a good idea.... they could have built the street. Lee Battle is going to make his pitch to the P &Z about Neighborhood Planning. I have been preaching this ever since Jane Kee and Battle presented it at one of Noe's Neighborhood forums several months ago. (and what has happened to them? Cancelled, or we just not invited ?) As she expounded on HER plans for future planning of neighborhoods and Battle stepped in to relate other cities activities, I told them, "we have beenj there and done that...it didn't work." I further said, "this smacks of Big Brother." Surprisingly , Ed Broussard spoke up "sounds more like Big Sister." We need to watch this closely. Noe wants one rep from each neighborhood to be his spy, and We are paying the planner between $33,000 - $36,000 per year to dictate those policies to us. This idea of a "gossip column" has been batting around for awhile. If you like the concept, want to contribute items that YOU know about, and appreciate being let in on what is going on, rumors, rumors of rumors and gospel truth, let us know. To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit?" Please click here! To see past Gotta Minit articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives Norma http:// www.issues.org/uorma06 Gotta Minit #2 - June 21, 1999 Didn't expect this one so soon. Just got hold of this week's council agenda and under the workshop consent agenda, the following is listed: *12.14 An ordinance amending Chapter 8, "Personnel" of the Code of Ordinances by REPEALING Ordinance No. 21358, "STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR CITY's PUBLIC OFFICIALS." Steve and Swiki, what can you tell us about this and what do you think it means? Wasn't this what you were working on? *Should we have concerns about American Medical Waste Management, Inc. being granted approval for the collection and disposal of treated and L untreated medical waste? I don't know much about it, but could it possibly lead to further contamination of our streams and rivers? After all, Sanderson Farms is far from being a clean operation! *We are also going to spend $18,000 annually to The Sanitation Specialist for Promenade Cleanup at Northgate. Looks to me like the owners of the beer joints should have to do that...not the churchgoers and a commercial cleanup outfit! I have to keep my premises clean, don't you *Item #13.6 of the regular agenda (June 24 meeting) is: "Amendments to G o the Council Meeting Procedures." Assume this will include the very unpopular, unwanted, unneeded moving of "Hear Visitors" to the 5p.m. slot on the workshop agenda. Why don't they just tell us to stay the hell away. We don't count anyway. The May 1 election contributions haven't been published yet (or will they be ?), but looks like we have a couple of more bought council members. The contributors this time are pretty much deja vue from 1998. Same builders, lawyers, developers. Money Do Talk!! And how will we ever defeat them? C , And don't you love this: Item #15 of the regular agenda: "Discussion and possible action on developing characteristics that reflect COUNCIL'S vision for the community." *Lee Battle made his presentation to the P &Z last week on the newly organized Neighborhood Planning. I've been warning you for nearly a year on this and believe me, we cannot take it lightly. They know full well they can't take over and control the affluent sections of CS, but again, I will go down to the battle line saying that all of us from the East Bypass, Deacon, Wellborn Road to University are in jeopardy. This covers North, East, South. It would behoove you to get a copy of this at city tw hall. *Has anyone else heard that Gateway Computers is coming here? Why not... feel sure we will be glad to abate them. *Noe's June Manager's report states that we will have a retail business Norma http:// www.issues.org/norma062199.html center at the intersection of Texas and Holleman on 17.30 acres (Pooh's Park). How long till Holleman is another Harvey Rd or University? Traffic control is going to be critical. At the P &Z meeting last week, talking about rezoning the 4.13 acres at Holleman and Welsh, the subject of a traffic signal came up for that intersection. Ed Hard said we just got 4 -way stop there a year ago, and it would be WAY down the road before we would ever get a traffic signal. He also foolishly said that 200 to 300 cars more per day on Welsh would be no big deal. Same way he said. . 2500 to 3500 more a day on Wellborn Road (talking about Steeplechase) wouldn't be a big deal . Also, according to Noe, the April 1999 sales and use tax receipts for March sales were $;1,146,572, a 20.1% increase from 4/98. The amount collected for Fiscal Year 1999 is $7,008,704, a 6.65% increase from last year. Where does that money go? The city doesn't have to do anything to earn it, and they aren't even the tax collectors for it. I used to have a sign in my shop that said "We don't charge sales tax, we collect it!" To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit?" Please click here! To see past Gotta Minit articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives norma http:// www.issues.org/norma062599.html GOTTA MINIT #3 June 25, 1999 Why would anyone pay good money to go to the movies on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of each month. The best (worst) show in town is at city hall when the council meets... and ifs free, if you don't count your tax dollars. I'll grant you there isn't much suspense, with the consistent 7 -0 vote. There aren't any heroes to cheer on to victory, and you really want to see the heroines get their just due. There is nothing to laugh about unless you like to watch dictatorship in action. You can find lots to cry about as citizens' rights are constantly knocked down and dragged through their dust. You can't applaud for right, you can't speak against wrong, and if you think you are a nonentity in a darkened movie, then sit through a council meeting. Lester Maddox said it best. Your next door neighbor can be your best friend AND your neighbor. But let he or she get elected to ANY office...local, school, county, state, fed., and no longer is he or she your best friend and neighbor because he or she has power over YOU. This council in one lousy vote, did away with what was left of an ethics ordinance for personnel. That leaves Maloney and Mariott free to swear at us without admonition from the gavel. Insults. Threats. Domination. Watch the mayor's eyes get huge when she is angry. Watch her fight for breath and words when she is nervous and upset. Maloney has been on the council less than 2 months and already his crown is biggest up there. Listen to Mariott come to life when any issue pertains to building or developing. He might have a mouthful of candy, but he can always find words then. When the "Hear Visitors" issue came up, I don't believe God could have changed their minds, no matter what the citizens who put them there want. I can't wait to get the tapes so I can hear Maloney and Garner and the others who WANTED this so badly. Since they are sitting there anyway, what earthly difference does it make when WE get to speak.? And actually, that title is a misnomer. Very few speakers have ever gotten the full advantage of the 3 alloted minutes. SHE will interrupt or one of the HE's will interrupt, and there you stand. One lady sat down, and when she was told her 3 minutes weren't up, she said, "When you are finished, Mayor, I'll finish." A male speaker thundered, "Madam, this is MY 3 min." Most of us flounder. WHY? Who are they to have such awesome power? Last night a lady went to the podium to speak about the lack of mosquito control. She was obviously a newcomer. But, she did tell them that this was her first visit to council and she found them intimidating. Benito norma http:// www.issues.org/norma062599.html told them he was being tranquil so they wouldn't call the police. When Mariott was told to speak into the mike, he almost yanked it out of its moorings in anger. Hazen took a nap...or at least her eyes were closed for a long time. Noe took a bunch of pit stops. He jiggles his knees so fast when he is sitting at the podium, he probably has to walk 'em to rest 'em. I'm going to write a separate version of what went on at council and the far - reaching consequences to all of us with their wanton voting. Just remember....YOU DO NOT COUNT WITH THESE SEVEN PEOPLE! And if you don't believe what I say, then please take the time and trouble to sit in on some of the foolishness. It is no wonder they don't want the meetings televised. That would be disaster big time. And, if you think their being friendly to you is anything more than a means to their ends, whatever they may be, you are really wrong. I've watched different ones "tackle" an individual with an obvious message of "butter them up...find out what they're thinking." I like it when none of them speak to me. It leaves no doubt in my mind, or in theirs, where we stand with each other. For many years we had persons on the council we could relate to...we had a friendly staff...if only the ones who really keep the city going with utilities, streets, sanitation, parks & rec., all the "little" people who really count, underpaid and underappreciated as they are, were the bosses. It would be great to upset the Eagle's Nest. And if the "Eagle's Nest" doesn't ring a bell with you, that was Hitler's retreat on top of a Bavarian Mountain. In fact, I believe that is where he died I've been there. But it was his headquarters for skullduggery. Doesn't that pretty well describe city hall? It is obvious that so far as I am concerned, the buck starts and stops with the city secretary's office. Those dollars are earned and should be increased. I move on. Just thinking about last night puts my blood pressure in jeopardy. Hope some of them have the same problem. This is my response to "Vox Humana" (Bubba ?) Mr. H., I have never been one to dwell behind anonymity, so I don't understand those who do. But I can't help but wonder: do you deliberately misspell words so no one will know you are a PhD., or is it the alcohol talking? You answered my Gotta Minit about the Northgate $18,000 donation to clean up the promenade, and you stated it was ours, so we should pay to clean it onna http:// www.issues.org/norma062599.html up. Let us put it in this perspective. I own my property. I have students living all around me. When they have their massive drunk, loud parties and my yard and street are strewn with their debris, No Sir, I don't pay to have it cleaned up. They clean it up. L . Relating it to the beer joint owners, I contend they sold the trash to their customers, so in reality, if the "stuff" ends up on city property, (ours, as you say), it still belong to them until they dispose of it. Kayla Glover, I love what you said to me and gave me permission to quote you." When Gary Halter personally attacks you, you know you're doing something right." Is that why he took in after Helen Pugh and myself one night at a council meeting? Still wish I had preferred charges. Won't happen again, I assure you. It takes a real man to verbally violently attack two elderly females. It is really time (past time ?) for us to be giving serious thoughts to our futures, if, indeed, we are to have one. L Myrna Hughes, local realtor, has sent out letters to the residents on Georgia Street telling them an investor (foreign ?) is interested in buying all the duplexes. Heard today he has offered to buy the properties and let the current owners rent them from him. 1 say again, "they are after us." The older neighborhoods don't contribute their fair share of taxes to compensate for all the abatements and freebies they hand out. Someone has to pay. Quote from Chronicle: "It is time for city planners (Kee), to think about the future and the effect these developments will have on the already insufficient infrastructure in the area. Their plan is to fall back in on the inner city, forcing all of us out. One more council item. Last night the council chamber was filled with young journalism students from A&M. We have protested their taking over all the seats leaving older citizens to stand or sit out in the hall, but last night I was really really glad to see them there. They got a really good dose of UNDEMOCRACY in action, and judging by their expressions and comments, they were shocked at what they saw and heard from our elected officials if such they may be called. L Cafe Eccell and Crooked Path Ale House have been sold to Costa Dallis. Richard Benning will get his facade improvement for Fitzwillies. Ganter is norm http:// www.issues.org/norma062599.html proceeding with Satchels. And we are paying to pick up the garbage. Rev. Estes, pastor of A &M Presbyterian Church, told me at a recent council meeting that the sale of the historic church to two local (Bryan) developers for a high -rise dormitory was going to hinge on whether the city builds the parking garage at Northgate. Was that what the 54 or so voters had in mind when they approved that multi - million buck fiasco? I don't think so. And what about the ordinance passed a couple of years ago stating that new apartments, etc., don't have to have a specified number of parking spaces. Why not? Can anyone spell it out for me? A staff member yesterday said the comprehensive plan was adopted in 1997. I beg to differ...It was adopted last summer (1998) without the council seeing the final version (Kee couldn't produce). Has anyone ever seen it, and if they did, would it be recognizable after all the changes the development services and planners have made. Watch ordinance #1638. That's the granddaddy. Costs $5 to get a copy. City hall currently is proceeding right on their schedule of issues. They make it look like nothing is going on, but believe me, it is. They just aren't talking about it. Isn't it strange that Mariott could come up with an involved, lengthy motion about the citizen involvement, immediately seconded. He didn't take that off the top of his head....it was all thought out and written out previously. The new Open Records Act just signed into law by Gov. Bush will not affect us, thank you. Which reminds me, and let this remind you: The five of us who have been charged by excouncilman Hickson acting on behalf of his city council cohorts, with unethical conduct with the Texas Ethics Commission are still hanging by the hook. This goes back to the aborted recall petition. The meeting was to have been held on the 2nd Friday of June but it was cancelled, so now it will be July 9. Since we are guilty of absolutely zilch except trying to get decent honest government to serve us (by our t definition, not theirs),...And since they just voted to abolish all ethical conduct codes so far as THEY are concerned, why should we not have the same privilege? As I told the Ethics Commission in my letter...we are honest decent citizens who are guilty of absolutely nothing except trying to better our city and ourselves. TEN MONTHS TILL NEXT ELECTION!!! norma http:// www.issues.org/norma062599.html To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit?" Please click here! To see past Gotta Minit articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives Norma http:// www.issues.org/norma070599.html Gotta Minit #4 - July 5, 1999 There's a lot in the pot this time. You may get some leftovers later! • Is the pen mightier than the sword? Would like to see what Pete Caler and Benito Flores -Meath would do out in the open with the swords rather than written words. This applies to a few others too. Me...I like to look my opponents in their eyes. It's the Aries in me! • Trying to get a handle on Pete Caler. Don't know the man. It's intriguing that out of 600+ city employees he is the only one jumping into the fray. He must have higher -up sanctions. The others are afraid to admit they have an inkling of what is going on anywhere. Hopefully he isn't being used as a shill by the city manager to verify that city employees are free to do as they wish. My info says 11." otherwise. Caler, as a citizen, is entitled to his opinions and frankly, I'm glad he is exerting them, though he is 100% city- biased. • Mr. H. - aka Vox Humana - wish I'd thought of "Party Patio" for the Northgate Bahnhof, my tag. All of you know very few of us will ever live to see the city indebtedness at NG paid off, and that is if nothing else is ever done. Course the consensus is it ain't our money, it's the fed's. More on that later. Has the grass grown between the quaint brick pavers yet? Like 99% of CS, I don't go to NG as a major tourist attraction. Believe that is why so much money is being spent. I do go to Burger Boy to eat, always hoping I'll be able to find on- street parking. • Speaking of which: Item 15.4 of the regular agenda for the council meeting on July 8 states: "Discussion and possible action on a Memo of Understanding between the city of CS and The Tradition at NG, LTD, regarding construction of a PRIVATE dormitory including retail space and LEASING OF PARKING SPACES IN THE CITY'S NORTHGATE PARKING GARAGE ". Say what''''? Is this what the voters had in mind - public funds for private enterprise, enforceable by banning on- street parking? 1 don't want one thin dime of mine to go to that fiasco! • They are also allowing 15 minutes to Hear Visitors from 5 till 5:15. Their time schedule had better be on snuff or they're going to have to eat their catered meal pretty darn fast. Heartburn, maybe ? ?? Hope they are smart and agile enough to eat and exec at the same time! Adv: We, the People will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 6 at the Lincoln Center. TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT: WTP is a group of local citizens who began monthly meetings nearly two years ago. We're concerned about the city's encroachment upon our rights as citizens and their drive to eliminate us from city decisions AND discussions that affect our futures. We are NOT radicals, malcontents, troublemakers. We have no elected officers. We meet, discuss issues, and become aware of the problems facing us. Apathy is always a handicap, and we try to eliminate the word from our vocabularies. You have no time limit on how long you can speak Generally we have speakers...so far the mayor, city manager, various department heads on the city staff, state representatives, attorneys, etc. have spoken to us. We really enjoy our freedom of speech and proudly, we have never had anger with each other. Please join us. It's a good way to meet folks from other areas of CS. • Do you know the city owns 168 properties at last count? Not all of them are public facilities by a long shot. They constantly buy and sell real estate, most times for a profit. They have just built 3 yr. new brick homes on Banks St. in the Prairie View Heights area. This neighborhood since the beginning of CS has been traditionally black, as is the State Streets area of Southside. They are well aware that a well -known developer /city council member remarked several years before his Norma http:// www.issues.org/norma070599.html death that the goal was to rid CS of all the black people. In light of what is occurring in these two areas, mostly on the QT, this seems to be proceeding on schedule. Condemn, demolish, move'em out. The three new brick houses on Banks Street are right on the street, very small, and at $74,000 or more, hardly low - income housing where it is needed. The city wouldn't tell people in the area how much the houses were selling for, nor would they show them. A young white couple, engaged, is buying, and according to Brumley from Comm. Dev, they are the only ones who met the financial guidelines. They will get a $14,000 down payment assistance, forgiven in 10 years. Good deal, don'tcha think? Hazen was fretting that the city would lose money. The city isn't supposed to make money on such deals. Then she glibly said, in effect, "I know it isn't costing US anything because it's federal money!" Brumley said that too. Excuse ME! Aren't federal funds OUR funds? And hasn't she lived long enough to know that? • Dr. Charles Graham told We The People that we need to learn who the real leaders of the city are. Told him we already know...the builders /developers and city planners. They pretty well get what they want where they want when they want. I'd like to add realtors to that list. They manipulate what houses are shown where and to whom. Blacks are kept out of white neighborhoods and vice versa. They also dictate prices. • In 1998, at a council meeting, the subject of low income housing came up. The idea was broached that developers might, by mandate, have to build x number of low- income houses for so many expensive ones. Mariott came unglued on that one...why, that would be socialism, and no builder could afford such an idea, least of all himself. • Well, congratulations to Bryan. They have just announced a cooperative effort between several public and private entities to build affordable quality homes, including a soccer field and a park. (Read "Development Trends, Summer 1999 Vol. 4, City of Bryan). Community Development and Development Services are both involved. If they can do that in Bryan, why can't they in CS? THEY DON'T WANT TO, THAT' S WHY! Bryan doesn't have Jim Calloway, Jo Carroll and Jane Kee. We do. • And more kudos to Bryan. CS gets a potentially smelly 600+ acre landfill to the south of us, and Bryan gets an A&M sanctioned golf course, with hotel and conference center. Wanna bet they have that up and running before the first shovelful of dirt is turned at Holleman and Dartmouth? Who remembers the initial talks were between Bryan, CS, and Brazos County to build a really impressive complex serving all of us. The vanity of CS stopped that cold. And look at us now. Lots of friction, not much action. • A recent report I saw shows the population of B -CS at approximately 143,000 - many thousands less than what the EDC expounds. Probably more realistic, too. We've always been oversold - and cyclical. We are due for our 20 -year slowdown. Much is made about new businesses coming in....don't read much about those that fold their tents and steal away in the night...big guys too. Look at the large empty business locations around town. • City Hall likes to say I'm crazy. I'm negative. Hickson expounded "naysayers." Halter said we are "CAVES" - citizens against virtually everything. I prefer saying I and we are "Positive negatives." I have loved College Station for 46 years, and have raised children, grandchildren and now great grands in my 57- year -old home. I stay here by choice, not necessity. The good always outshone the bad .and even now there are occasional glimmers. • While the "leaders" want a new Taj Mahal for city hall and proceed amid protests, the real leaders N orma http://www.issues.org/norma070599.html of the city, the blue collar workers at all levels, underpaid and overworked, endure all sorts of conditions, working with all sorts of equipment or lack of, at wages far less than they could be making elsewhere. • Have you walked through the cemetery? It is a show place, and made so by the efforts of THREE dedicated employees. The Street Dept, Sanitation, Water, Electrical, Parks & Recreation - probably the most underpaid and understaffed of all - these are the people we can and do depend on. The police, the firemen, the clerical staffs. the breads and butters, not the filet mignons. • So, take a look at the new Fiscal Year 2000 Pay Plan and overview of the pay system. Karen Pavlensky who oversees payroll, told council last week that this new plan is so complicated only she can decipher it. Why is that so? Does that make her indispensable? Let's pay the guys and gals who deserve raises without having to worry about improving themselves to qualify. How can a trash collector move up the ladder to get more pay And we are talking 2% to 3% at the most....no fancy bonuses, etc. • It was also brought out that the city has a tremendous turnover of workers. Mode seems to be "train 'em and lose 'em. " This doesn't seem to bother management. A fireman told me some time ago that staff seems to think it is cheaper to keep training and losing than to advance for longevity. Karen admitted that entire crews are leaving as teams to go elsewhere, including Bryan. Only A &M pays less than CS. She said. What dangers face our workers when they are working with green teams on hazardous drainage problems or flooding or the daily jobs they face? Why does the Street Dept. have to go behind the company awarded the contract to resurface our streets and do what they didn't do? How many upper echelon are on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week? Joke! • Neighborhood Planning is up and running. Be forewarned and be watchful. The oun man in Y g charge has to make a record for himself I don't want the city telling me what we can do with our historic southside. Do we want to look like every other area, like shopping centers and towns do now. We like our individuality, and by dam, we'll do what we can to keep what we have! On 1/24/99, in a "We, the People" flyer, I asked, "Are our neighborhoods safe from city planners ?" It was NO(e) then, and it's a bigger NO(e) now. • Hear Visitors: My two cents worth. The usual order is: Call to order; Pledge of Allegiance, occasional invocation, followed by proclamations for whatever or whoever, meaning every lengthy word is read by the mayor, taking valuable time. Why not let the recipients of the proclamations wait until the end of the meeting to get their just dues, and let the citizens have their allocated spot at the beginning of the meeting? The award winners get their plaques and they are outta there. IF they had to stay awhile, they might learn about our lack of government. Carvers, that is! • One final note: On June 30, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld a law allowing criminal charges to be filed against public officials for sexual harassment. To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit?" Please click here! To see past Gotta Minit articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives norma071099 http:// www.issues.org/norma071099.html Gotta Minit #5 July 10, 1999 The problem is not how much to write. It's how much you want to read! Your responses are encouraging and appreciated. FOR SALE CHEAP! SLIGHTLY USED CITY HALL. PRIME LOCATION. EXCELLENT CONDITION. NO REASONABLE OFFERS REFUSED. UNDER THE TABLE BIDS ACCEPTED. SEE CITY COUNCIL OR CITY MANAGER. Yes. Two Capital Improvement Projects Committees (1994 and 1998) ranked this project at the bottom of their lists. Yet, two weeks after the last list was submitted to council and staff, a proposal was being pitched by Brymer to council for the new civic center (their way of misleading us...it is city hall).Their plans have never deviated from course and their Strategic Issues schedule is right on target. #9 on that schedule states: "Proceed with project according to option selected in Objective 1 which states: Council determine action it prefers for dealing with this strategic issue once it receives project recommendations from its CIP Committee." The last item on the calendar says "9: Proceed with project according to option selected in Obj. 1, depending on approach selected, begin consideration of disposal of current city hall complex site building. Update, 7/8/99, dated May -July 1999 (NOW) : Staff is in the process of contacting interested applicants for the committee (appointed 7/8). Staff is also developing a RFPs for consulting services to assist in site analysis and master planning services. Mike McMichen and I both served on the 1998 CIP committee. I opposed the dollars proposed for site purchase. Arguments were strong that the current city hall is more than adequate for city needs well into the future, considering that it can be expanded two stories up, and the new Utility Service Center will free up a lot of space in current building. They wish we would forget that. When this was presented to council, Hickson immediately wanted it taken out of Parks and Recreation land acquisition and put with the cemetery land issue. He and they knew the cemetery would win at the polls and the city hall land would ride in on the coattails of that. I have now been before the council 3 times protesting this $8 - $11 million project. 23 members of the CIP opposed it, just as in 1994. Why do they tie up busy citizens for 11 weeks or more and then do as they please? I keep getting the same hog -wash from Mcllhaney. "Mrs. Miller, we won't do this for 3 or 4 years. We aren't going to build a new city hall. The voters approved the land purchase." Poppycock. They try to tell us the new center of town is at 2818 and Texas (close to new developments to the south). The present city hall IS the center of town. 40,000 + Aggies are just across the street at A &M. 30,000 employees work at A &M M -F, 8 -5 p.m. And most of them live in the new additions to the south, meaning they are empty during the working hours. The city is ready to spend millions on the NG parking garage, approved by 54 voters and now being contributed to private enterprise. They are ready to spend millions on a too -small conference center. Millions are going to be spent on a new landfill (2 1/2 M just approved for land purchase). There's no telling how many more are being planned helter - skelter whenever someone gets a pregnant idea. WE don't need another city hall costing $8 - $11 million bucks, to satisfy their vanities. It was Hickson who said he wanted the latest and biggest city hall. norma07 f 099 http:// www.issues.org/norma071099.htm1 Remember this: We are still paying for bonds approved back in the 70's. Our indebtedness is very great. Cryan has said we have lots of money. Birdwell said we had lots of money. Noe says we have lots of money when it is something major he or they want, but when it comes to pay increases for the backbone of the city, sorry, we don't have money. I hear the term "Creative Financing" often. I could use some of the city expertise in my budgeting process...well, maybe not. It's their process i.e new fees, taxes, etc., that will bust me eventually. Are you ready to go electronic? The city is, and they are spending thousands to hook you up. Staff wants it, which means you get it. Pay bills, gets automated voices when you need help. Relieve staff from further personal contact. Shut us up, shut us out, shut us down. Supposed to be in place by October. We are paying a lot for who will use it. A long time member of the Parks & Recreation Board was recently removed from regular to alternate. Why? Because he had been on the board too long. Hazen just complained that the chairman of the Cemetery Committee had been there too long also so she was replaced. Isn't this true of Mcllhaney and Mariott, and maybe some others? If length of service is to be penalized by removal, then man, let's do it. If you can't, won't or don't attend council meetings, then treat yourself to the official tapes that are available from the City Secretary for $3 each. I just paid $19.48 for 6 tapes: 4/22 and 6/24. And even though I sat through those long meetings, re- hearing what happened on tape is eye - opening and heartbreaking. The utter contempt, abuse and superiority shown to Councilmen Anderson and Esmond at their last meeting, and to those in the audience who tried to speak are indicative of the overall atmosphere in city hall. Shut us up. Shut us out. Shut us down, etc., #2 To listen to the present council, their plans seem to be they will be there forever. Can this be possible? Guess so as long as the same political campaign contributors keep flowing the dollars into this hand - picked group. (AND WHY HAS THE FINAL CONTRIBUTION LIST NOT BEEN PUBLISHED? It was due in city hall on July 1.) I have called this Tammany Hall, but a better description is "Political Machine. "It truly is that. It is obviously a rubber stamp for the city manager and his crew, thanks to Carver's Governance, broadly expanded here, it would seem. I honestly try to believe that there are some upper echelon staff members who are not, in their hearts, a part of this dynasty. They must keep their jobs for their own lives. I buy that. I'd do the same. But, I do like to feel that down deep there are those who are aware of what is going on, feel helpless to do anything, and have to go with the flow. I can name a few whistle- blowers from the past who are no longer employed with CS. But, where there's smoke doncha know? McIlhaney has given HER council the homework task of coming up with their visions for OUR futures. Has a foreverish sound to it. Maloney suggests that memorial antique lighting be available to those of us in the historic areas south and east. ($1000 each ?) He said kids could come back as tourists and say, "Oh look, there's Grandma's lamp!" Sure, Dennis. Garner suggests the possibility of a monorail down the road. Massey said, "Look at this as if it is barren land and say this is what I want!" Silvia asked, "You want us to think out of the box ?" ( ? ? ?) My premise is, if they want to live in a big city, then LET THEM MOVE. If we want to live in a big city, then WE move. Tourism? Wasn't that the thrust of all the dollars spent at Northgate? Don't hear much about it now. Bars and dorms and public - private parking. About says it all. What has happened to Culpepper's announced hotel? So far as that goes, what has happened to the WPC hotel/conference center ? ?? horma071 J99 http:// www.issues.org/norma071099.html Did all who went to the recent legislative meeting in Austin go in one car? Sure they talked about the wildflowers and not city hall. When Steve and Swiki went to their first retreat in Del Lago, they took their own cars. The others arrived in Mariott's van. When asked what they talked about on the way, Kennady said, "City business." Open meetings? And does this apply to staff? Think not! At the 7/8 meeting, I'll give Dennis credit. He is capable of poking fun at himself, and he is able to admit mistakes. Thanks to him, there will be a change in the ridiculous Hear Visitors recent fiasco. Massey sarcastically said they have to listen to the same five over and over. I have just posted a message on the web about that...council doesn't know how many voices we represent, nor who they belong to. There aren't too many willing to brave that formidable pecking order sitting there with contempt on their faces. I do protest written- and - approved- beforehand motions (landfill... written when) such as Mariott read to the council on 6/24. It was lengthy and involved and not spur of the moment as it should have been. Immediately seconded by Silvia, as usual. Would help if Dennis could be the chosen "reader" of such motions. He was an English major and CAN read. That could go for Proclamations too. Don't you love the thought of our south gateway being a dump and a strip joint? Way to go, city planners. Keep your eye on the negotiations for the landfill. A lot more is going on here than meets the eye, and it would appear we and the property owners are not being told the truth. So what else is new? This involves a lot of political maneuvering, just as the NG parking garage has. We just aren't supposed to be smart enough to know it. The landfill cannot go in a flood plain. Studies have not yet been made. Land is being bought under false pretenses in the past. Seems to be a good case of "screw the property owners." Maloney waxes poetic that in 80 years we will have a beautiful park out there. Alton Hayes, born and raised on the site, said they promise trees to cover the mountain of garbage. HE said it would take Calif. redwoods as no trees in Texas are that big. He also told the council: "You bring your damn trash to my front door and I'll damn sure bring my trash to yours." Loud applause from all of us was quickly shushed by her majesty. Watching the televised Bryan city council, many persons spoke against the proposed annexation. The council was quiet, attentive, and allowed the citizens in the audience to applaud at will. CS council will swear at you, interrupt you, tell you to shut up and sit down, and you can get the honorable gavel. Small wonder they don't want any part of being televised! We would be the judge and jury! Another Citizen Survey has just been conducted. A group on campus was paid around $10,000 to TELEPHONE 518 persons, 39% of whom were students, to answer 140+ questions. Last year I paid the city $7.50 to get a copy of this trumped up survey....I say trumped up, because each time it was cited, the favorable figures went up. This year is no different, even though there was a slight change in the questions. I have had a copy of the questionnaire for several months, and had my answers all ready but as in years previous, I have never been called. Massey was called, he said. Were you? If 90 +% of the 60,000 citizens of CS are satisfied with everything as this 518- person survey would indicate, then golly -gee, we don't have anything to fret about. This is la -la land and we got here on the good ship lolly -pop! How much over budget is the acquisition of property at Northgate. Wasn't the initial offer for the Nelson land around $175,000? We paid $325,000 + $175,000 for another piece. So, there's 1/2 mil that won't be spent on the garage...had to buy dirt. norma071099 http:// www.issues.org/norma071099.html On 4/22, Mcilhaney presented plaque #54 to the owners of the house at 1212 Munson. Her comment was "We want to maintain the historic landscape of College Station." Of Course, of course! And, ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME OUR GENERIC LIBRARY HAD ITS JUSTIFIED NAME, COLLEGE STATION PUBLIC LIBRARY." Ringer and Mounce will argue, but Bryan has not one thing to say about OUR library except for her, and they have no financial interest in OUR library, though we have paid into theirs for years. That marquee on 2818 is offensive, saying only "library". It is Ours. Ann Landers headline:" Trust until you have reason not to." I've often joked before I got so involved in city hall, that I didn't know 6 people well enough to ask them to pall -bear me. Then, I said, "yes, now I do...I have more than 6 friends I can count on." The next logical thought was, "Well, Norma, if you don't have 6 who like you enough to be your pall bearers, you know good and well you have more than six who will be dam glad to see you in that hole!" Can name them too. See you later. To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit?" Please click here! To see past Gotta Minit articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives rm. ma http:// www.issues.org/norma072099.html Gotta Minit #6 - July 20, 1999 It's budget time again. During this period, staff starts off with a wish list. If that list exceeds their resources, they can increase our taxes, raise fees, or borrow from Peter to pay Paul, which, in this case, is US. WE must police their ability to take and spend our money unless we approve. That's hard to do when we don't know what's going on. It's hard to see on the other side of the mulberry bush! Even sitting through annual audit reports is mysterious. When words like "derogatory findings," "constructive criticism. material weakness," etc. are in the findings, and there is always a letter being submitted under separate cover which we don't get to read, my antenna really does get activated. What is being shoved under the carpet, what is being deleted, what are we missing? fillo On this particular tape I was listening to, there was a blank part just as employee thefts were introduced. Electrical failure, no doubt. Noe stepped in to explain. Which he always does. But, wouldn't you wonder if you heard them talking about "reimbursing ourselves with future debt ", "going to do all we can to stay legal." and telling us Medical is $300,000 over budget? $109,774 has been lost on the NG parking lot, and pool cash is being used, what -ever that means. "1998: issue debt for garage. Rebudget for 1999." Money being spent now for feasibility and design work. Noe stepped in to say land acquisition is being done in 98/99. How much over budget, Mr. Noe ? ? ?? Citizens trying to speak were told to sit down, they could not speak, and believe me, the interference line was in full force. So, some questions and comments. Does creative financing = accounting shenanigans? How about "managed accounting ?" Seems like we constantly get financial restatements in budget changes, tax revenues, etc. How will we ever know if and when there is more out -go than in -come? Surely, by now, abatements have matched new growth tax assessments. Do we know the city's net income, pure and simple, not couched in fancy mathematics? A couple of years ago, it was announced that the city was going to have a surplus for 1996 -1997, but would face a budget shortfall for the next 5 years. Like kids with candy money, the council immediately began dreaming how to spend the surplus.. I suggested they save it for the shortfall in the future, which is what we would have to do. So far as I know, over $300,000 has been spent on the new teen center. No problem with that, we need it, but what has happened to the rest of the "surplus ?" (has probably gone to pay outside lawyers for the many legal suits facing the city). Do we KNOW if the city's net income is higher than the cash flow? How many sets of books does the city use. Few businesses use only one, and the City of College Station IS a business, including real estate. Is it true that we have over $50,000,000 on deposit? How much is in the General Fund? And where does that fund come from and where does it go? A former city manager has said that an automatic 10% is added to every person's utility bill as a matter of course...meaning, of course we don't know about it, so of course, we can't protest it. Supposedly, the money goes into that famous general fund. It seems we are always deferring large expenses, pulling them out of the hat later. And monies are always available from some existing fund, approved by whomever and whenever. The consent agenda averages $1,000,000 per two weeks....and always, with no real council input, the funds are available from norma http:// www.issues.org/norma072099.html some long forgotten budget approved God knows when, and just now being spent. Our hotel -motel tax funds have been spent illegally, as the state office is well aware. The Wolf Pen Creek drainage is a classic example of that wrongdoing. How can draining a mistake possibly help tourism? Only "creative financing" could explain that one. Do deferred expenses show up as assets? Seems like Community Development always gets a lot of federal money but seldom ever spends much of it. Looks good in total assets. I have been accused of being anti - council, and perhaps, basically, I am. But, the city council is only a puppet in the hands of the city manager, whom we did not HIRE or ELECT. He is the real ruler of the city. Mariott sings Noe's praises all the time. Guess so. Who ever protests conflict of interest voting? Who mother -hens the council, telling them what to do and how to do it in confidential memos for their eyes only. We paid a lot for a headhunter to find the city manager. OR did the city manager find him? San Antonio was glad to see him go. If he is ever given the boot the council wouldn't have to go outside to find a replacement...there are some good men on the staff right now who would bring us honesty and trust. With that, I honestly believe the city council would also find the traits they have forgotten they have. James Massey told me a year or so ago he still thought the system could work, given the chance. Do we have time for that possibility, James? I have been asked many times, "what has happened to free thinking among the council ?" Darned if I know. Brainwashed? Hoodwinked? Whatever, as the kids say. Anyone can buy a rubber stamp. But, do they have to BE one? PARTICIPATE: This city is OURS. MOTIVATE: Out with talk - in with Do! ACTIVATE: Get moving. Get involved. DEDICATE: Make our goals happen - not theirs! Again, thanks for your support, phone calls, e- mails, etc. Appreciate your appreciation. Thanks, too, for those of you who "worried" about the five of us who faced state charges of lax ethics. Or lack of. Ironic, isn't it, that the city through its ex- councilman spokesman, tried to bring us down on a trumped up excuse, then turned around and blithely did away with what little was left of the ethical ordinance they faced as city council members. "Dear Lord: So far today, Lord, I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or over - indulgent. I'm very thankful for that. But, in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed. And, from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help. Amen To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit?" Please click here! To see past Gotta Minit articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives norma080399 http:// www.issues.org/norma080399.html Norma Miller's "Gotta Minit #7, August 3, 1999 ONE GENERATION PLANTS THE TREES. THE NEXT ONE ENJOYS THE SHADE. • Bill Maher said that on his "Politically Incorrect" show. My first reaction was "what a lovely thought!" The second was "This generation cuts the trees for new developments. There is no shade for the next one." A lot is said about preserving our greenspace for the future. Votes have guaranteed purchase of lands to accomplish that. Yet, every vacant lot is being snapped up for townhouses, apartments, whatever a developer can cram into the space. I still chafe against the recently permitted 28 townhouses on 4.13 acres of land. Or the 80+ houses and 125+ duplexes in the Steeplechase addn. What matter that yards will be flooded if not washed away. Who cares that traffic will inundate existing neighborhoods. • Holloman from the new fire station to Dartmouth has always been such a pretty drive. It is quickly becoming just one of the crowd. And do I hear whispers now of another huge regional park south of town on land owned by Seaback and Crowley? Thought we had our hands full with the recently approved athletic complex off the East Bypass. Still haven't figured out how they are going to play ball if the flood plain floods. Guess the same way garbage will still be hauled into the proposed landfill when that flood plain site floods. It can float all the way to the Gulfl • Another issue that seems to have gone undercover of late is the rechannelization of Carter Creek and Burton Creek. Has that been put on hold, buried, or what? That would destroy major greenspace, all for more retail and residential building. To say nothing of the possible downstream flooding if the course of the Carter Creek is altered. Why are we so dumb we know that and they don't? • Kudos to the utility workers who are keeping the city running during this heat wave. They are on duty 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, on constant call, as are the police and fire departments. Individually and collectively, they all deserve our vote of gratitude. Wearing a hard hat in 100 degree weather can't be comfortable. They are a lot friendlier and cheerful than many of their air - conditioned superiors. • Worth a laugh! Those left in city hall have more space than they know what to do with. Lots of space, and another reminder that the current city hall CAN go up two more stories if absolutely necessary. What is laughable, even hilarious, is that the Utilities dept. is now "crammed" into the much - heralded new Utility Center on Krenek Tap. Communications was moved in with them, and guess what, they are so jammed up against each other they don't have room to spit! Good, good planning, don't you think? • At the CIP meetings last year, Tom Brymer proposed a conclave of city buildings at the new site. Glowingly, we were told that we could park and walk from building to building, conducting our city business. That certainly doesn't sound convenient for the customers who pay the city bills. And the developers of Town and Country Shopping Center in Houston found to their regret that the concept didn't work there. • There has been a lot in the Chronicle and other papers lately about Austin. When we started doing lots of abatements, I said then that Austin had cut down now that the gravy train was full, and the freebie- seekers were being told to come here as we were the next suckers. That has become almost prophetically true. Now, Austin is faced with a serious shortage of affordable housing. norma080399 http:// www.issues.org/norma080399.html Small single family homes are selling for upwards of $175,000, and two = bedroom apartments start at $800. Are we far behind those figures? Today's paper said that it won't be long until Austin is a city of high- income properties and low - income slums. The middle class is being squeezed out completely. Don't you see evidence of that now? What was our middle- income home is now a student rental. Low or no maintenance by the often absentee owners who could care less about the neighborhood they left behind is the order of the day. • Dennis Maloney is the only one on the current council who lives in an old historical neighborhood. How long will it take for him to forget his "humble beginnings" in CS? Hopefully, he never will. Ringer has long since forgotten his Thomas St. beginnings...pretty good jump from Thomas St. to Pebble Creek. Shall I continue? I can, you know. IL • Am I the only one who is keeping an eye on how Bryan- College Station is being ringed in, and by basically the same people? • On another subject: Not only is canned laughter on TV shows offensive. Commercials that never change from year to year (the kids surely are adults by now), and stupid theme song music we have to endure on KBTX as they plug their virtues really can destroy an otherwise good disposition. Day after day after day. It never stops. • Looking back over my voluminous records, it is interesting to note how many things have been shoved at us the past couple of years that now seem to be of the past forgotten and dead. Code Enforcement was all the rage last year. Where is it now? I've looked at a trash cart out on the street at the house next door for 3 weeks now. Is this what we could and should call "selective code enforcement ?" • Cops sit on Munson in pairs giving out tickets for stickers, lights, etc. On my side of town, even the cops run the stop signs. Those four letter words on those posts are incomprehensible to the masses passing by. • Again, a couple of years ago, much was made about ALL workers on the streets being trained to observe code violations and to record and report them to their superiors. That lasted less time than it took to issue the directive. • In November of 1996, at a council meeting, when Helen Pugh and I were telling Noe about some violation in our area, he said there wasn't an ordinance on the books that could be enforced. My response to that was, "well, let's do away with them then and go back to cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians." Either we have rules and regulations or we don't have rules and regulations. And further, if they are good enough for me, then they are good enough for you. • How many of you live in neighborhoods of loud, very loud diesel motors, muffler -less vehicles, and super noisy boom boxes? How many of you are awakened nearly every night as the revelers in these noise making carriers of joy carouse up and down the streets? There is an anti -noise ordinance on the books. If it hasn't been changed, this at one time also applied to motor vehicles. Why is it not enforced? This morning at 12:23 a.m. an idiot was sitting in front of my home honking at the girl in the house across the street. We are just as entitled to peace and quiet as any one living anywhere in this great city. Are any violations ever written for those offenses? If so, I'd like to hear from Municipal Court or Chief Feldman. • Noe used to have monthly neighborhood forums. No big crowds, ever. When it got down to 3 or norma080399 http://www.issues.org/norma080399.html 4 of us attending, the meetings stopped. Is that why we now will have a Neighborhood Planner who will dictate to us? • So many things happen here in spite of - not because of. • And what people say behind your back reflects your standing in the community. Someone else said that. I have always made it a point to not care a hoot and a holler what anyone says about me or thinks of me. I stand behind my convictions, fight for what I feel is right, will admit when I'm wrong, and do not hide behind anonymity, • Speaking of which, ever since July 20 when the last Gotta Minit was posted. there has been a dearth of "assumed foolish names" such as Vox Humana, Bubba Sr., Bubba Jr., Buck Boomer, ad nauseum showing up on the discussion forum. Either "all of these" were one and the same who got offended at my stupidity, or "they" had a meeting and decided to collectively ignore my brilliance. Whatever the cause, their absence has been dutifully noted and appreciated. The calls and e-mails I get from those who don't hide behind name - facades mean a lot more to me. I welcome challenge, but like to know my challenger. • In this inter -woven fishbowl of a city, it definitely is WHO you know. We are wise to the what - when - where - and =why, but the dollared "who" is the Home Page. The links become more connected and intertwined. Having been born not too far after the horse and buggy days, I reckon I know how the settlers felt as they battened down the fort, knowing the attack was inevitable. Do you know this? Or do you want to know7'f''9 • Remember: Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first! To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit ?" Please click here! To see past "Gotta Minit" articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives 8 http:// www.issues.org/norma082399.html Norma Miller's "Gotta Minit #8, August 23, 1999 TIME FOR ME to jump back in the fray. Mike and Benito are having all the fun being blamed for things and getting called names. Heck, my shoulders are broad too! THE TRAGEDY in Turkey this past week has revealed the apartments that crumpled so quickly were built by faulty standards. Is it possible that B -CS could have the same should a disaster strike here? It's not beyond the realm of possibility that we could have a tornado, hurricane, flooding, or even a quake. After all, we do sit on top of one of the largest salt domes in the world. Tremors have been felt at the proposed landfill site, and we do have huge apartment complexes which go up almost overnight on our shifting, whispering sands. SPEAKING OF THE LANDFILL, which is being shoved down our throats, more and more is coming out of the woodwork on that deal. It would appear it isn't nearly as open and aboveboard as "they" would like for us to believe. As usual, the current landowners will be the big losers as will the citizens of CS and Brazos County, for all time to come. A landfill is a landfill is a garbage dump. Nothing will ever make it a beautiful park site. Is it true that a leading Texas insurance company bought that land back in the early 60's or late 50's when all the talk was lignite and fortunes were to be made? Did I hear $50 per acre? And is it true that some of these people are involved now and constitute the Peach Creek Corporation (names furnished on request)? PRIOR TO THE LIGNITE, all talk and all efforts were being expended on the proposed Millican Dam site on the Navasota River. I served on that committee and the lake had the full backing of the Corps of Engineers. Many studies were done, trips were made to Washington, but alas, the dirty head of politics reared up. Landowners east of HWY 21 prevailed and the dam site was apparently dropped when the lignite was discovered, as that is where TMPA was built. WE knew then the entire area was flood plain. Now, it's no big deal if Peach Creek and the Navosad flood. Who says? If we had had the lake all these years, it would have meant more to CS in tourist dollars than any number of museums could ever mean. ALSO IN THE LATE 1950's, in the Wheelock area, a huge uranium find was discovered, while they were searching for oil. (again, name on request). The site was immediately capped as there was no immediate need for uranium. Is it still capped? Am I the last one to remember? CHARACTER CITY is the latest gimmick. The council/audience had to sit through a long, dry presentation at the 8/12 workshop. Making this a "Character City" was the Temple group's pitch. Is this a non -profit organization? Who is paying their travel expenses as they go around preaching this concept? Doesn't CS have character now? We know it has characters! The word "integrity" has been worn into the ground. "Ethics" has been voted out of existence, so "character" is the latest scapegoat. If we haven't gained character by the time we are adults, then no amount of rhetoric is going to instill it in us now. Sorry, Council....this concept doesn't fly. We should have been practicing character all along...not suddenly applying it like makeup. AND LEST IT BE SAID "there I go again, knocking city council." I'm not so much anti - council as I am anti - administration. The council is a rubber stamp of our hired officials who will do anything to keep their big salaries in their pockets. If we can see that, why can't the council? Does serving on the council satisfy an inner need...just being there, having the notoriety, the feeling of being "somebody? Is this justification for blindly following city staff. Watch Noe "mother - henning" HIS council whenever he sees them heading for trouble. He jumps in and takes over. He has been heard to call the council "my 8 http:// www.issues.org/norma082399.html council." I don't recall any other city manager over the past 45 years ever being so vocal or being so defensive - offensive. PAUL HARVEY SAYS: "and now for the rest of the story." It's the rest of the story that we, the citizens, seldom hear. Currently, a big to -do is being made about all the volunteer hours spent working for the city and the economic impact. Well and good. This is a great project. But, emphasize that most of those volunteer hours are community service assigned to young people by the municipal court to clear their record. Nothing wrong with that either. But, how many dollars /time of regular employees are being utilized in order to "train" those volunteers to do whatever they do? Is this a false economy or PR to make the city look good? Just asking. HOW MANY STAFF are going to Portland, Or. in September? Know Human Resources is going, and so is Public Relations/Marketing. But, did you know that for a utility worker to move up the Human Resource pay scale, he or she has to take a day off without pay to take the training in order to get the small pay raise? Is this fair? Is this right? JUST HOW MANY EMPLOYEES of the city have recently retired, quit, or been fired? I know of quite a few. Which brings up another interesting thought. When the current city manager came on board 4 years ago, there was a total of something like 630 employees. He vowed to cut that number and consolidate departments....which he did, for awhile. UNDER THE NEW BUDGET now being considered, and which includes a $24,000,000 increase over last year, there are 27 new positions proposed in the base budget and 28 in the service level for a total of 731.5 (who is the half?) full -time equivalent positions. That is an increase of 85 workers. Why? Isn't it true that now assistants have assistants who have ? Go see for yourselfl WHEN THE BUDGET WAS being presented to council 8/12 by a very nervous Noe (I had the feeling he was more perturbed by those of us sitting 2 feet behind him than he was about the council before him), he mumbled and was almost unintelligible as he hastily went through his "speech." As usual, the overhead screen was totally unreadable ($44,00097 '799) He did keep referring to the recent "Citizens Survey "and that it is the basis for a lot of the budget. If that is true, then we are really getting bumboozled (not the word I wanted to use!). THE SAMPLE SIZE for that survey was 518. I wasn't one of the 518. Were you? 39.2% of those interviewed were students at either A &M or Blinn. The "don't know's" constituted a lot of the replies. Eight questions pertained to community art, sculpture, etc. A good many of the answers indicated no interest in anything city (39.2 %). Here is the age breakdown of the sample group: 18 - 29 years: 49.6% 30 - 39 years: 17.5% 40 - 49 years: 12.4% 50 - 59 years: 9.7% 60 and over: 10.6% Of the sample group of 518, 45.9% own their homes, 53.17 %$ rent. Annual income: Less than $20,000 - 30.1% Between $20,000 and $35,000 - 21% Between $35,000 and $50,000 - 11.8% Over $50,000 - 30.1% Interesting that the less than 20 and over 50 are the same percentage. How can this trumped -up, duded -up, jazzed -up survey that obviously asked the same questions over and over until the desired reply was given possibly be the basis for our FY 99 -00 budget? That takes "creative financing" to a new level. Don't 2 and 2 still = 4? s8 http:// www.issues.org/norma082399.html A NEW CITY HALL is alive and well, regardless of all denials. My records show that two CIP committees in 1994 and 1998 ranked this project at the bottom of their list of desired projects. Yet, council and staff consistently bring it forth as a Strategic Issue, a viable want, and a "we're gonna do it come hell or high water" attitude. Hopefully, this council won't be around to enjoy it, if and when, and you -know -who will be gone too. AS IT NOW STANDS, the opening of the new Utility Center (for whose convenience), leaves much open space in our current completely usable city hall. As they plan their moves, calling it "decompression," (wouldn't "expansion" be a better word ?), they are going to combine Development Services and Building Inspection into one location for "the customer's ease." Sure. Boy, what will go on behind Those closed doors? And will McClure Engineering have its own office therein? TWO LOCAL CONTRACTOR firms now have the plans to develop costs of renovation. This, then, will determine if the project should be bid out in phases or done at one time. Excuse me. Isn't it most vital that the business of the city get organized and back on track as quickly and efficiently as possible? It doesn't need to be pretty...just practical...and oh, yes, economical. DO YOU WANT TO SPEND $200,000 each for tour busses that must carry a total of 64 passengers per day to break even,just to see the sights of B -CS? Another proposal to council on 8/12. Tourism! Museums. Bus rides around town. Post Oak Mall. Methinks the visitors to B -CS are a lot more cosmopolitan than that! It's possible that our very diversity works against us in developing any viable tourism. Promenades and beer joints at Northgate won't do it. Antique lamp posts around town and fancy gateway signs won't do it. The day we can get the tour busses to originate here for their day trips to the big cities, coming back here to spend the night....that's when tourism will be successful! IT REALLY DOES PAY to drink at Northgate. Buying lots of beer enables the bar /tavern/honky -tonk owner to invest the profits in land around the city. Then, when the time comes, a huge profit from the sale of acres to the city and /or CSISD for a landsite for a school or another regional park and even a new cemetery. Could we not say the highschool/cemetery/park will be built on the land that beer bought? How many drunks? How many accidents? How many deaths? Glad I have my lots in the current cemetery. PETE CALER: welcome back. With your knowledge of city hall and its affairs, and without the benefit of legal or staff so far as is known, you ought to either apply for the manager's job or run for council. You're pretty cool - and brave! SEE THE ANONS ARE BACK too. That's okay. If the courage of one's conviction can only be expressed behind an assumed name, so be it. I've never felt that need, but will strive to be more tolerant of those who do. SAY A PRAYER FOR A FRIEND: For those of you who knew BOB SCHOBER while he was here writing for the Eagle, you will be sorry to learn that he will undergo surgery next Friday at 12:45 p.m. for a brain tumor over his left eye. He says his prognosis is good as he is in excellent health, has no pain currently, and they feel the 1.5" growth is benign. He does risk losing his sight in one or both eyes, and paralysis. His sister is to call me after the operation. His e-mail address is <b schober @earthlink. net> HELEN PUGH has a neat idea. While council is piddling around with the "hear visitors" issue, she asks, "why can't that be changed to "hear citizens "? Hear, Hear! 48 ' • http:// www.issues.org/norma082399.html STILL WAITING to learn how Noe's "evaluation" came out at the 8/12 council meeting. Coincidence that it came same night as his presentation of the budget? The council was falling asleep c when they adjourned to the Executive Session at 10:40 p.m. Really would like to know what woke 'em up so that they were in session until 3 a.m. They had the council chamber to themselves as we left at 10:40, the last to go. Also still waiting for the published list of political campaign contributors for the May 1 election. LIVING ALONE, I don't use nearly as much water going to the john, doing the dishes, laundry, showering, etc. as do all the student renters and their guests surrounding me. I do use water to keep my Hibiscus alive and my grass green. For that, I pay a penalty of $23 a month for sewer. They aren't penalized as a rule. Shouldn't that be reversed? Say, base the charge on the number of people in the dwelling? we were told last year at the CIP meetings the city takes in over $800,000 per year on the $3.50 per month utility TAX/fee. Oh, and electric costs are going up. Why? CODE ENFORCEMENT? Still selective. Counted 12 trash carts out on the curb on a Friday in a 5 -block stretch of Welsh. Several still there the next week. IF WE WEREN'T faced with such a radical reduction in what we are being told, there would be no need for concern. Whitewashing trees was stopped years ago. Guess the practice has been transferred to public knowledge. We are being told what "they" want us to know...no more, no less. Some of us are working at getting the news out to you. We don't whitewash and we are concerned. Eventually, somewhere down the road, all of us are going to pay for the current leadership. If you are young, you don't really know enough to care. If you are old, you are wise, but no longer care. If you are in- between, you are content to just live your life, not really concerned about what does on so long as your front door isn't being kicked in. CONCERNING CITY INVOLVEMENT in developing projects, if the market exists, wouldn't the private sector be on top of it in a heartbeat? INSIDER COMPLICITY. That's a neat expression. Another question: Is the taxpayers' monies being sloshed from one place to another wherever it's needed to make that place look good? DON'T RAISE TAXES...not good public relations. RAISE FEES....no one will notice. AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED to the multitude of studies and studies of studies we have bought and paid for from the experts? Gathering dust on some shelf at city hall? Buy. Pay. Oblivion. SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER: The voters approved a bond issue last Nov. covering all 17 CIP projects the committee had approved. The city added a couple of more million to the total we chose. I simply cannot get this through my head, and three have tried. The voters said yes to the bonds. This would pay for the projects. Now, city hall says the $24,000,000 budget increase is to pay for the CIP projects. The 1995 bond issue is also there somewhere, I think. And why are we going to spend $135,000 for an asset management and strategic plan study? Absolute waste of our money. Each council has different strategic plans, dictated by staff. That is why a new city hall is still on the agenda. CONGRATULATIONS, RAINTREE ADDITION. City Hall listens to your protests against infringement of your neighborhood. Those property owners who spoke against Steeplechase and http:// www.issues.org/norma082399.html Holleman/Welsh repeatedly weren't nearly so fortunate. We lost. Guess the politicos worry more about your votes than ours. Except for Mariott, and he shouldn't have been voting in the first place. Conflict of interest, you know. There are lots and lots of good, positive things going on around us in College Station. Much of it is because of....a lot of it is in spite of My wise grandmother once told me: "Always remember, when you get up in the mornings, say, "Good Morning, God," not, "Good God, Morning!" That has stood me in good stead for 3/4's of a century. To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit?" Please click here! To see past "Gotta Minit" articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives norma http: / /issues.org/norma.html Norma Miller's "Gotta Minit #9, September 13, 1999 THIS IS THE THIRD TIME FOR #9. Noe's resignation last week and the landfill news this morning scrapped the first two drafts. Thank you, city council, for accepting the resignation for whatever reason. Now, there is the opportunity for the city and the council to set their priorities straight. They have been askew for the past four years. Infrastructure maintenance and preservation are more urgently needed g Y than further promotion of builders and developers. Am I alone in thinking that building partnerships with those of us who like living in a medium -size city and are willing to work with you to enhance the quality of our lives is more important than rushing us to big -city status? AND, THANK YOU, COUNCIL, for appointing TOM BRYMER as the interim city manager. Many of us are supporting his elevation to full time city manager. If I remember correctly, we spent $25,000 with headhunters finding Noe. Perhaps that $25,000 headhunter fee can be given to Tom for past combat duty! Tom needs to have the chance on his own. He was brought here by Raglund, who was fired. He served 6 months in that shadow before Noe arrived. Noe would have liked to sack Tom, and probably would have...but he needed him to front for him when the Northgate and Wolf Pen Creek episodes came on the scene. Think back...It was Tom who met the press time after time. It was Tom we saw on TV. It was Tom who had to make the uncomfortable presentations to council each time. Yet Noe still brought in an assistant to the manager. (Please let him go, too!) This time, it would be so good if Tom could feel he is on his own and not parroting someone else. If MARK SMITH were appointed to serve with him as Assistant City Manager, we would have a sure -fire team, popular with a majority of the staff, and with us. And, another thing to consider. Elections are in a few months. Filings will start in less than six months and in addition to the mayor, there are three council openings. The following year will be three council places up for grabs. Giving TOM (and hopefully MARK...if they would even accept), at least two -year contracts would give the city stability during this period. It wouldn't really be fair to a new council (if it occurs) to have to work with a strange city manager hurriedly hired in the next 5 months by the old council. At the council meeting and workshop on Thursday, 9/9, it was good to see genuine smiles on faces. Last year I was told by a staffer that working for the city used to be friendly and fun, but no more...so many restrictions had been put in place, there was a major lack of trust, and there was actual fear of dismissal. well , look what we have now...no mo noe's nose everywhere in everything. Feel free to smile and even laugh out loud. Waiting out in the hall last Wednesday while the council was executive - sessioning, Broussard, the assistant to the "former" city manager, came walking up the hallway with a woman. In a loud voice, as he passed us, I heard him say, "I know everything that goes on!!!!!" Well, that is what he was hired to do. His rudeness, his arrogance, made him no friends among the cityzens' groups who had to deal with him. Hopefully, I'm using past tense. That's a salary we can save! And, TOM handled himself beautifully at the council meeting one day after taking the reins. He was knowledgeable without being obnoxious. He was attentive to council and to cityzens. I sincerely hope that my endorsement of him doesn't mean a kiss of death for his success. ( Now, I might even be able to dispel the ongoing rumors in circulation among certain staff members about my mentality. It's a shame that those rumors even included any one who dared to disagree with THEM. They say All dissenters are my followers leading me perfectly into the next subject. norma http: / /issues.org/norma.html HELLO AGAIN, VOX. I'm glad that I sometimes entertain, and sorry that sometimes I don't. Wanting "followers "....MOI ? ? ?? Not at all. I do not want people blithely falling in behind me and my ideas. In a city of approximately 34,000 registered voters, there is no need for me to even attempt to reach the 4,000 or so who did vote. There is an urgent need for myself and many others to TRY and reach those 30,000 who don't, won't or can't vote. As stated before, we are being ruled by a majority of the minority of those who did vote....a small majority at that! This is true of all elections, and I honestly don't know what it is going to take to shake it. Better minds than mine have been trying. At a meeting of We, the People, Dennis Maloney spoke to us. He was asked what was the biggest problem facing the city right now (this was 8/30). His reply, "keeping employees." That's a shame. Morale and money must be improved, without far - fetched skill- strings attached, ala Human Resources. Our police department is almost a full shift short...heard that 9 officers have quit since the first of the year and 4 in the fire department, to say nothing of the dispatchers. Today, the council wisely decided to skuttle the landfill site. Glad to see them knuckle down under pressure. BVSWMA, Noe, council, all tied together to create these crises of the past week, but guess what...for once the cityzens are the winners, all the way around. There is a whole lot more here than is meeting the eye, believe me. I was thinking about Hear Visitors at the council meetings. There is really nothing good to say about the council's reaction to cityzens who wait and wait for their precious 3 minutes. Kayla Glover suggested that the city take the money they are proposing for a new unwanted, unneeded city hall and use it for salaries for police, fire, utility workers. Mcllhaney jumped down her throat proclaiming no city hall is planned. (more about that in a minute). Swiki Anderson got up to speak, and you could feel the hate, the tension on the council. He stated he didn't think it fair to pay off Noe who had quit...we didn't fire him like we did Raglund that cost us $104,000. Swiki was making the point that he got no compensation whatsoever for what council had put him through. Well, Mariott, Mcllhaney, Massey and Maloney all got in that one. She absolutely refused to let him speak. He told her he had 3 minutes. NOOOOO! I reiterate Mike McMichen's statement. The Bryan Council does this, so does Navasota. During the "Hear Cityzens" segment, they listen attentively and keep their damn mouths shut. Not this bunch. Disagree and they are in your throat going for the jugular. None of us who have dared speak have been spared their venom. Brad Martin was in town on a visit. Remember Brad? He is the young man who served 1 term on council, and single- handed fought the Northgate issue and brought it to our attention before it got off the ground. He sat next to me at the council meeting...it was worth the price of admission. Obviously Hickson had been asked to attend and speak on yet another abatement, but Steve Esmond and Brad were nervous - makers. And I couldn't forget it was Hickson who tried to put the five of us in jail (not quite fact but it made for a lot of laughs) for our recall effort and OUR lack of ethics. Believe he is the one who ramrodded doing away with the ethics ordinance Steve and Swiki tried to get adopted. Now dead and done away with thanks to this council. Makes them sleep easier. Maloney often spoke to the council before he was elected. He was always jumping up as a member of the P &Z which he never let us forget. Kinda like his degree in English. I never heard him interrupted. Or belittled, Or berated. But he had let himself be courted. Interesting that when a new sheet on the budget was presented to council there was $11,500 on the list for televising council meetings. It took Mariott less than a breath to jump in and loudly announce that norn'a http: / /issues.org/norma.html is a closed issue. Says who ? ? ?? Doesn't he want us to see his face stuffed with city - provided candy, or to see him stuffed into the perpetual disrespectful shorts he wears ....everywhere. I can't help but think, "Won't it be great if we run out of reasons to complain but never run out of reasons to compliment ?" I'll start with what Tom told KBTX about the city working with the cityzens. That is as it should be. Bet I never call him "Adolph." Have figured out a way to make money for College Station and maybe avoid some of the increases in fees, taxes, etc. I have two unnoticed STOP signs at either end of my block...one on Guernsey and Fairview and one on Guernsey and Welsh. (Guernsey is only 2 blocks long). No one can read the four - letter word on the posts, which I've said before. If I could be given the authority to ticket every driver, including cops, who ignore those two stop signs, then have the municipal judge follow through with the designated fine for the violations, it would be a big addition to the coffer. Heck, following through on all the cases taken to municipal court with fewer dismissals would be a big addition without any help from me. Code Enforcement. Well, hopefully it can be rejuvenated. We would love to see it back in our neighborhood, which maybe now is no longer considered throw -away. Enforcement seems to be very selective. And, thinking back, doing away with the enforcement office waiting for calls to come in to them (which makes us tattle - tales) and getting the officers back out to policing the neighborhoods visibly, would make a lot of difference. Sticking notices in utility bills about trash carts doesn't work . If they can't read "STOP" how can they possibly read the info on garbage! How much increase in utilities are we going to have? Another change in suppliers means it will again cost the city. Everyone of these changes has been made by the same official(s). Again, the last time this was brought to council by Swiki, Mariott jumped in and angrily made a motion quickly seconded in a prearranged deal, that never again would that subject be brought up for discussion. Passed 5 -2. Now it would be 7 -0 with our very unanimous council. I'm putting hopes on Silvia and Massey. Changing subject: Which would you rather be called, if you have to be called anything? "Y'all" or "You Guys "? I hate the latter. I am not a guy, never have been and never will be. But tell that to the reporters at KBTX. If I had a buck for every time the term was used during the telethon, again, we could all be richer. And it isn't just KBTX. Everywhere, "you guys" if you are more than one. Waitpersons, clerks, ad nauseum. At least, "y'all" is Texan. NEW CITY HALL. Go to the CS home page, pull up the 1999 -2000 Strategic Issues proposed by council. See for yourselves that New City Hall is prominently displayed as item #5 sandwiched in among what seems to be unrelated issues. This city hall has been rejected by TWO CIP committee in 1994 and 1998. SHE angrily states no city hall is going to be built. Then why in the # @$ #$ %$ # ^ #$ is it on the Strategic Issue list , and especially way ahead of implementation of the nearly $400,000 Comprehensive Plan which comes in #8...very bottom of the list. Development Services and Planning are doing what they can to shanghai that expensive HOK plan. Mcllhaney told me herself that the city was dissatisfied with the report and the people who prepared it. I suggested we write it off before it cost us many millions. She said Oh, we couldn't do that!" That was Nov. of 1996. The plan is still basically in limbo, and Maloney seems to be the only one who ever remembers it even exists. Check on what Planning has done to Ordinance #1638 (you can buy for $5). This is the operating backbone of the city, and they are changing every chance they get, and not for anyone's benefits but the builders and developers. The records don't lie and neither do I! I've been told that we ask questions but don't give answers. There is always the hope that the questions norms http: / /issues.org/norma.html posed to you will make YOU want to find the answers. There is no other way to fight voter apathy and lack of interest. And, if a question triggers your desire to know more, good! Laugh of the day? "Our city charter is based on biblical absolute prohibition that while serving as a council member, you must dedicate yourself to serving the public interest only ". Has this been changed or altered, and if so, when and by whom? Seems lots of private interests are being served each and every day, especially on conflict of interest votes. Winnie Garner is very good about abstaining from voting on such issues, and complies with the request form. Next best laugh of the day: "The newly adopted grading of fellow council members. Bryan does this. It would make more sense for staff to grade council, or better yet, let us do it. It was Mariott's turn last week. He mumbled something, handed a sheet to the Mayor, and didn't want it read publicly. Now, which one of that hallowed seven is going to say one word critical of any fellow member, now that Steve and Swiki are gone. Mike McMichen provides "issues.org" as a forum for us. You may not realize it takes a lot of time, expertise, and patience to maintain and give us this vehicle. It allows us to vilify or praise, complain or cry. He is the webmaster of the site, and as such, he has every right to make his comments in an effort to spur interest and introduce new subjects. Shouldn't he be thanked rather than condemned? Disagree with him sure...a lot of us thrive on controversy...but don't insult him. He is a standing target for your opinions, as are any of us using the forum. Benito Flores Meath. If you have never met the man, you would be in for a big surprise when you do. He is criticized and accused of "raving and ranting" and "rampages ". Benito? His voice is so soft you have to strain to hear it, and even in his deepest hurts that have been thrust at him by council members, never has he raised his voice or been anything more than a gentlemen, which is more than council can say. We all owe Benito a great thank -you for his research and bringing things out that "they" hoped would never see the light of day. His logic is so logical "they" can't cope with it and don't want to hear it. He always gives an alternative to what is being voted on. He never fails to compliment issues that have merit. He is quiet. He is respectful. I watched them as he spoke last Thursday night. Surely at least one of them said to themselves, "this guy makes sense but we can't acknowledge it." Like me, he has the reputation for being a "crazy ", a "kook" or worse. Again, change of scenery. Rip -offs! Customer complaints. Let's get something going on this one. Know all of you have 'em. Maybe if we publicize it will help the situation. I'm of the old school that the customer is and should be right... I drive an '85 No Payment Delta 88. Hopefully, it will hang in as long as I do. It has less than 75,000 miles on it, bout the same as I. Take better care of it than of me. So, recently, it got noisy, and thinking muffler, I called Midas Muffler. Talked to nice young man. He said they start at $29.95 and could take me right in. Twenty minutes later I walked in. Told the young handsome man I was the old woman with the old car. He didn't care for my humor, but that isn't unusual. So I explained the problem, told him I wanted an estimate before anything was done and handed over my keys. I had to fill out a form, wanting time listed, so I looked up at clock, and wrote down 9:45 a.m. I sat alone in the office for 45 min. He finally came back in and I asked why it took 45 min. for an estimate. He allowed it hadn't been that long..told him to look at sheet. Well, he handed me two estimates, one for $352.00 for two mufflers, two tailpipes, two exhaust pipes and labor. The other was for $250 and was for just one of everything. I noted the name on his shirt (manager), and wrote down the 800# posted on the wall. Once home, I called the number and reported his attitude and the bid. The norma http: / /issues.org/norma.html next day, I went to Bryan to Bryan Muffler at 1309 S. College. Within one hour I was back home in College Station, with a new exhaust pipe, the remembrance of a very pleasant experience in dealing with those nice people, and a paid -in -full bill for $45 plus tax. You bet I called Midas at their 800# again. She sounded truly shocked. Bryan Muffler also does air conditioning and has a mechanic on duty. They don't do transmissions or alignments. I wanted to toot their horn. P.S. My husband always used Bryan Muffler...I just didn't want to drive into Bryan. Austin City Council has inaugurated a "Smart Growth" policy. They are putting cityzens above developers and people looking to make bucks off of selling their land. If Austin is willing to bite the bullet (as some of our council members like to say), then why can't we, before all our greenspace is gone to apartments? With less than six months to go before election filings begin, it's time to start a Better Government campaign to get the best NEW candidates possible. "Been here, done this" needs to be changed to "haven't been here, need to do this." So often I have heard, "what can I do ?" and, more prevalent, "what's the use ?" WE are the use. If we are defeatist in our thoughts, then certainly our actions will reflect that, which plays into the very hands we are trying to spank. Give TOM BRYMER and his staff your support. Help HIM to put US back into City Hall. He's people, nice people. Does city law supercede state law? Don't think so. Then why are cars parked on wrong side of street not ticketed? They are a traffic hazard in that they have to cross the other lane to get to where they stop. My granddaughter got a warning because the left rear wheel of her truck was 3 -4" over the stripe in a parking lot! How about Handicap parking with no permit? How about parking in fire lanes? How about double parking? And most of all, how about speeding9797? I am a go- with - the - speed -limit driver...a safe one. But, when kids see an old woman (me) in an old car (mine), doing the speed limit on George Bush which is 40, they go around and cut in front of me like a bat out of hell. Have never seen them stopped for speeding. Why not? Headline in Real Estate Weekly, 9/5/99: B -CS gets low grade on housing affordability....the gap between income and average home price is greater in B -CS than in most other Texas cities." So what else is new? Anyone remember the first Willie Nelson picnic at the speedway? Hot and extremely dry. Cars parked on dry grass. Catalytic converter on one car sparked fire that burned 13 cars to a crisp. Now we have ordinance banning cars from being parked on grass. I look out my back window...there's one. Look across the street...there's another. Up the street...more. One spark on this dry grass in this old neighborhood of 50 -80 year -old homes and it will be disaster immediate disaster, that is. And a cigarette thrown out an open window...heaven help us. Do the kids care? Uh -huh. New kid on block was complaining about parking restrictions during games...so stupid, she said. I asked her if she would think that if her digs caught on fire and a firetruck couldn't get to it because of hundreds of cars in the way. She hadn't thought of that. Now, even if a patrol car should err and accidentally make a jaunt through here, I guarantee the cars would go unnoticed, just as the trash carts do, because it isn't their job! Outside the training room in the hallway of city hall hangs a bronze plaque. It names Andy Anderson and the council members in 1969, and the plaque represents that as being when city hall was built. NOT SO. That plaque belongs in the other building, Fire Station #1 which was the original building built on the land J. C. Culpepper donated to the city. Somewhere along the way, probably in a misguided effort norma http: / /issues.org/norma.html to convince US that city hall is now 30 years old, that plaque changed buildings. Sorry folks, your trick won't fly. The current city hall was built in the 1980's, was upgraded and added onto in the early 90's and was built to go up two more stories, just as the police station is. This 1969 bit is an effort to mislead us, and push their agenda for a new building closer to Pebble Creek. One last word. It's always interesting when persons are given proclamations at council meetings for achievements. They see a smiling happy mayor reading the reason. They get their plaques to applause, then they are outta there. Too bad they don't stick around to see the other side of the coin. THIS ISA WATCHDOG WATCHING YOU! To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit?" Please click here! To see past "Gotta Minit" articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives 1 Gormaextra http : / /issues.org/normaextra.html THE RAPE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WITH THE APPROVAL OF CITY HALL. Or, from now on out, think I'll call it City Hole. Do you or your neighbor have some dirt in your yards that measures 50' by 100'? If so, with no preamble whatsoever to anyone around you, you or he can build a 26' x 52' 4- bedroom 2 -bath shotgun house, and no one can do anything about it. The deed will be done before you even know about it. Thanks to the manipulations of the City Planner and her stooges, changes have been made in the way things are done. No longer do people have to be notified within 200'. (it used to be as recent as 5 years ago, 500'). No longer do such changes have to go to Planning and Zoning or to the City Council. No, Queen Kee has seen to it along with Development Services that all normal routes are closed and need only go through her office. Is this misguided power or what? Background to this tirade. Herschel Burgess built my home in 1942. It was his last house before World War II, and now has a CS Historical plaque on it. In 1956, he built the house directly behind me for his daughter and her husband, Lou and Red Cashion. They lived there several years and, in fact, the steel posts from my kids' swing set still are the supports for their car port. Through the years, the house has sold about every 5 or 6 years. It sets on a large lot, described as 2 lots and 29' of the next lot. The owners prior to this one did a lot of work in the yard and on the house. They "sold" (or did they) to an out -of- towner in May. His story is that he bought the property for his daughter to go to A &M and then he has 3 or 4 more following her so he would be here at least 10 years. He loves pretty yards. He loves flowers. His daughter loves to mow. She doesn't drink or smoke or party. Great. So far so good. In 1962 , the 500 block of Fidelity St. was abandoned by the city. Helen and Marion Pugh built a garage and driveway at their end of the block. I wrote the city that I was laying claim to this end. Seven years later, the city sent letters to me and to Dr. Charles Cole who lived in the Cashion house giving us each 15' x 100', which didn't do much but increase our taxes. The city maintained a 10' easement on either side of center for utilities. Well, that has been 30 years, and during those years, we have expended a lot of time, energy, water, fertilizer, etc. maintaining that area which served as a drive for us. In 1985, the City denied our request to build a carport on the southeast corner of our house because of "deed restrictions ". Now the new owner, who, in May, professed nothing so much as maintaining the neighborhood integrity is going to squeeze in a 4- bedroom, 2 bath shotgun house on either side of the existing structure which is 6 years from being eligible for its own historic plaque in this historic neighborhood. By law, he is only required to provide TWO (2) parking places per house, I have been told by Planning. This is being sneaked by as single- family dwellings. Four is the max for a so- called single family house. So why 1 have I counted 5 or 6 cars over there every morning ? ? ?? He told me he does not care about the neighborhood or its history, and no matter what I or the neighbors think, there WILL be two houses there. Quite a few of us have looked at the plans, development plat, etc. and no one yet has been able to figure how he has been so convincing and is getting by with the virtual rape of this neighborhood. He is showing a drive on the easement abutting mine. No drainage study has been made of the area. No one has come that I can ascertain for a visual look -see at the area. This is strictly a paper transaction in city hole. Planning told me we would have to get the ordinance changed. WE can't get the ordinance changed. That has to come from council. ( Fortunately, Councilman Maloney is angry as are a bunch of us. This is another threat to the Southside area, and ultimately to every neighborhood in CS except for maybe You Know Where, and they have the dump! The large yards on Munson? Any one of them could get a house permit and you wouldn't have to be told. Helen Pugh (this is in her back yard too) and I wouldn't have known itormaextr9 http : / /issues.org/normaextra.html about this if Central Electric hadn't come through my yard last Thursday to put up a temp electric hookup. I had talked to the owner on Sat. about parking and he said not one word about the permit for 2 houses that Style Craft picked up on Monday next. (surprised at Style Craft taking on such a little project...houses valued at $52,000 on building permit.) Director Jim Callaway of Development Services and City Planner Queen Kee have had their eyes on the older sections of town for a long time. THEY want developments and what THEY want, THEY get. Witness the Steeplechase Addition. That was a done deal before it ever went to the P &Z. And if you have never seen Ms. Kee lose her cool when things don't go her way, you've missed a show. She likes to tell the council how hard SHE has worked on a project. Isn't that what she is paid her big salary to do? She has had her way on changes to the very expensive Comprehensive Plan that no one likes. She has managed to make changes to the 1638 ordinance which is the backbone of the city. She and her engineering friends (not city employees) dictate to one and all. I watched them in action the night of the first Public Hearing (P &Z) of Steeplechase. Duncum, Kee, McClure and Huff literally wrote the motion that was made and carried that night after whispered huddles in front of us. (the meeting had been temporarily suspended for discussion. To this day I am not certain it was ever reconvened except for the taped remark about Robert being back. Robert's Rules of Order ?) Now, out -of- towners (as usual), can come in, do with us what they will and to hell with any of our established neighborhoods. There isn't a piece of green anywhere that is safe. The mayor loves to say we must protect our historical areas. Poppycock. That's the forked tongue speaking once more. We want to protect our heritage. They could care less. Callaway wants development. Kee wants development. Why even bother with a Historical Preservation Committee, one of the most dedicated? Northgate is being desecrated at every turn...what matter that a historic house was targeted by a tavern owner to be another of his money makers? What matters that old homes are being condemned and destroyed to make room for a council -folly parking garage? What matter that 19 homes on Kyle are going by way of the bull -dozer to provide a wider street. Everyone of those homes qualify for historic plaques right now, having been built in 1938 -1942. The Knoll, the South Oakwood area, are historic now. Southwood Valley will qualify in a few short years...if it isn't ruined by then as our older area is now being destroyed. This family counselor from Georgetown had no intention of building 2 houses here in May. Tax office doesn't show the property in his name as of 9/4/99. Unusually long time for transfer. Especially when tax notices will be going out soon. I guess it has really been brought home to me. Most of my waking hours are spent worrying and working for entire city of College Station...trying to alert all of you to the dangers we have been facing and are facing. I've been so busy fretting about everyone else's front and back doors, I didn't realize my own was getting kicked in. Well, it is. Could this be another of those situations where there is more to it than meets the eye? This could have been and should have been prevented. At a public hearing of the P &Z and /or city council, about the HOK comprehensive plan, this very thing came up. One man has bought 27 properties in the Southside area, and he is waiting to pounce. This might be his door opener. Mr. Simpson, from the HOK told us there is a clause that could be inserted that would protect neighborhoods from things like this happening without due notification of property owners nearby. WE begged for that clause. Dennis Maloney was vital in that effort. We signed a petition at one of Noe's forums pleading with council to insert the passage. Well, according to one councilman, it would entail three hearings and they didn't want to waste their time. Mariott and Kennady and Hickson adamantly opposed, and Mcllhaney assured us, "Oh, we will see that never happens to you. We will take care of it. You won't have to worry about that!" So, we were turned town on the protective clause, and look at what the Planners have done to us now....exactly what they wanted in the beginning. ribrmaextrd http : / /issues.org/normaextra.html At a workshop, Kee told the council that in 5 to 7 years they would be able to do what they wanted with Southside. That was about 2 years ago. I asked if she was giving Helen 5 years and me seven? I'm crotchety tonight. Not only were the non - partying girls in THAT house behind me noisy as only shrill girls can be in the middle of the night with car doors and horns honking, etc., the drunk party at the athletes' house didn't help either. I finally called the police at 3:07 a.m. They did come, but I was awakened again at 4, and it is so surprising that I'm the only one west of Highway 6 who can hear that monstrous loud motorcycle from Bush to at least 2818. He is on the streets night after night after night. Dennis Maloney has told me he will try to get the ordinance changed...we need to give the power back to the Planning and Zoning or abolish them. Kee said this will save them time. Doesn't she mean the offenders time? Look at a recent P &Z meeting. A delay was asked for and the realtor complained that it would be superfluous and cost his client money. What he really meant was that it was costing him money. The Planners always give in to the builders, no matter. Wouldn't we like to know why she wanted Steeplechase so badly? I told We the People nearly 2 1/2 years ago to watch everything going on in their neighborhood.. anyone taking pictures, driving around slowly and eyeballing everything. There literally is a threat around every corner. These threats to your security can be a hazard to your health. About 20 years ago, when the discussion first surfaced about Welsh street being widened, it literally was the cause of Dr. Carol Laverty's death. Their family home deadends Welsh. A councilmember told me that the Lavertys were old and had raised their family and shouldn't mind moving. When I reminded him that it was their homestead, he said "they can always die, and if they don't, we can always condemn." (I hope that councilman reads this....he knows who he is...and I stood up in council that night and quoted him). Dr. Laverty went to that meeting. He stood, identified himself, and quietly told the council he had no intention of moving, or of dying." Shortly after that, as the threats to widen increased, he had a massive heart attack and never recovered. Thanks to the effort of his daughter, Penny, and Mike Luther, the Laverty home now has a historic plaque on it. Mrs. Laverty is still living, thank goodness. I was told that when she dies, Welsh will be widened. I reminded the electric worker who said that to me as he worked on a new pole, to go back and tell his boss that I am 15 or 20 years younger than Mrs. Laverty, and I have a helluva lot of fight left in me. If this episode at 601 Welsh is in anyway meant to intimidate Helen Pugh and myself, let it be known that we have conferred and are agreed that we are too stubborn to ever run, no matter what. Couldn't run anyway! It is a shame that at 81 and 76 we even have to worry about the security of our neighborhood. We have a total of about 100 years here. And proud of every one of them. To visit the Discussion Forum for "Gotta Minit?" Please click here! To see past "Gotta Minit" articles please click here: "Gotta Minit" Archives